


a new and glorious morn

by teeandrainbows



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Hogwarts AU, Mutual Pining, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:14:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28310712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teeandrainbows/pseuds/teeandrainbows
Summary: He needed a date to the Yule Ball.  She needed a fake boyfriend until after the Yule Ball.  Seems simple, right?  At Hogwarts, nothing is that simple.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Theon Greyjoy/Sansa Stark
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30
Collections: Theonsa Yuletide Gift Exchange





	a new and glorious morn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alphayamergo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphayamergo/gifts).



> Surprise alphayamergo! I'm your Theonsa Yuletide Anon! I really hope you enjoy this fake relationship Hogwarts AU! It gets a bit angsty, but as we all want around Christmas, there's a happy ending!

The Yule Ball was in four days and Theon still didn’t have a date. Jon Snow didn’t have any trouble finding a date, he thought bitterly as he meandered through the halls, trying not to look like he was skipping Potions. Stupid Jon Snow was a Gryffindor, and the Hogwarts champion, and was the cousin to the wealthy Targaryen family. He could have any girl he wanted, and most of the girls at Hogwarts were tripping over themselves just to convince him to take them as his date. Too bad Theon knew something they didn’t know - Jon had already asked Ygritte, one of the Durmstrang students. He was infatuated with the girl, and it showed; Theon had wondered more than once if Ygritte had veela blood.

It didn’t matter, though. Even with a date, Jon still had girls approaching him in the halls, begging him, and Theon had no one.

He wasn’t surprised, of course. He wasn’t exactly the most popular guy at Hogwarts. In fact, most of his seven years at Hogwarts had been spent in detention, and not in a cool, bad boy type of way. Professor Lannister loved to take house points from him, and as for his own head of house, Professor Tully? She was at her wit’s end with him. It was better if Theon just stayed out of the way.

Except this was the Yule Ball, and it would be really nice to have a date.

He ran through the options in his head while he ducked behind a pillar to escape the ever watchful eye of Professor Varys at the end of the hall. Tansy hated him, Myranda even moreso. Margaery was so far out of his league that he was sure anyone who heard he attempted to ask her would continue laughing until he graduated. There were other girls in his year, of course, but none of them worth asking. Then there were the sixth years. Alla, Megga, and Elinor were cute, if vapid, but they were part of the hoard throwing themselves at Snow. Jeyne still remembered the unfortunate incident with a Niffler two years ago, which left one other option.

Theon mulled it over, absently ducking around a corner and running straight into the girl in question, sending her armful of books tumbling to the ground.

“S-Sansa,” he blurted out, taking a step back. The tall redhead crouched down to the ground, picking up her books and straightening up. She offered him a polite smile.

“Hey, Theon,” she replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears while clutching her books to her chest. “What are you doing all the way up here? Don’t you have…” she paused, crinkling her nose in thought, “Potions, right now? With Robb?”

Leave it to Sansa Stark to have her brother’s schedule memorized. She probably knew all her siblings’ schedules.

Theon shook his head and shrugged a shoulder. “Nah,” he lied, allowing a practiced, easy smile to grace his lips. “I’m on a free period.”

“Me too,” Sansa said, her voice sweet and melodious. Theon was suddenly reminded of what he had been thinking about right before bumping into her. Sansa was pretty, and smart, and a cousin to Snow so she wouldn’t be throwing herself at him, and they had known each other since they were kids…

“I’m so sorry, though, I was just on my way to the library,” Sansa continued, offering another polite smile. “I’ll see you later?” She sidestepped around him in the narrow corridor.

Theon’s mind raced. He probably wouldn’t get another chance. It was next to impossible to catch Sansa alone in the halls of Hogwarts. He whirled around.

“Oi, Sansa, wait up!”

= = = = =

“Wait, wait, wait. Tell me again,” Robb choked out through barks of laughter. “What did you say to her?”

Theon chucked a quill at the Gryffindor, one of his only actual friends at Hogwarts. “Shove off,” he grumbled, burying his face in his hands. “It’s too embarrassing.”

“Seriously, I need to know if I made it up. Tell me what you said!” Robb played idly with the quill Theon had tossed.

Letting out a groan, Theon lifted his head to shoot a glare across the table. “I said that since she was probably still looking for a date, and I was still looking for a date, we could go to the Yule Ball together. She didn’t say anything, just turned and walked away from me.”

Robb dissolved into laughter, slapping the table. “Mate, I can’t believe you actually said that to my sister. Of all people. She’s never gonna forgive you for that one,” he said finally, shaking his head. “You won’t want to show your face at dinner tonight. She’s got the Tyrell girls and Jeyne Poole wrapped around her finger.”

Theon groaned again. “I’m doomed.”

The library was mostly empty, aside from a few Ravenclaws still dutifully studying at the tables, and Theon and Robb were hidden away in the back corner. Thankfully, Sansa hadn’t been there when Theon had arrived to meet Robb to work on a Charms essay together. He was sure he would have melted into the floor had he seen her again after his faux pas only a few hours earlier.

“There’s always one of the Frey girls,” Robb said finally, smirking. “Or maybe one of the Durmstrang or Beauxbatons girls. I managed to get one of the French girls, myself. Talisa, she said her name was.”

Of bloody course. Leave it to Robb, the charismatic Gryffindor to find himself a date. Theon’s head dropped to his arms on the table and he let out another muffled groan.

“I’m going to my common room and hiding there until the new year,” he mumbled after a moment, lifting his head and gathering his things. “Maybe the house elves will take pity on me and bring me food from the feast.”

Robb laughed again. “I feel for you, mate,” he said, a touch of genuine sincerity to his voice. Theon shrugged, leaving the library.

As he made his way down towards the lower levels of Hogwarts, where the Hufflepuff common room lay, he couldn’t help but turn up his nose at the many decorations adorning the walls. It seemed Hogwarts was playing up Christmas, given their guests, and doubling the amount of decorations that were normally used.

He turned down a corridor, only to feel a hand on his upper arm, pulling him back behind a pillar.

“What the--” he started. Then Theon realized who had grabbed him. “Sansa?”

The redhead had her lips pressed together in a thin line. Her uniform was immaculate as always, down to the Slytherin tie.

“I need to talk to you about something,” she said, glancing furtively up and down the corridor.

“Look, if it’s about earlier, I’m really sorry,” Theon replied, rubbing the back of his neck. “I wasn’t think--”

“It’s fine,” Sansa cut him off. “It didn’t bother me.” She spoke quickly, almost in a whisper.

Theon frowned. “Is everything alright?” he asked, leaning back against the pillar, adopting a cool, nonchalant pose. At least, he hoped it was that.

Sansa glanced away, letting out a breath. “Someone did ask me,” she said, her gaze fixed on a point down the hall. “To the ball, I mean. But I really,  _ really _ don’t want to go with him.”

At first, Theon felt a stabbing pang of disappointment, but that vanished at her next statement. “Who?” he asked, mentally running through all the guys in her year and seventh year who might have asked her.

“Ramsay Bolton,” she replied in a whisper so soft, he barely heard her at first. When Theon realized what she had said, though, his blood immediately started to boil. It was no secret that Ramsay Bolton had been trying to get Sansa to go out with him for nearly two years, but given his reputation, Theon had a hard time believing Sansa would have ever accepted.

“Yeah, you don’t want to go with him,” he murmured. A tremor rippled through her and he immediately regretted saying it. “So, what does that have to do with me?”

Sansa was silent for a moment. Then, slowly, she raised her eyes to meet his. “Well, I told him I already had a date. Well, rather, a boyfriend.”

Oh.

Theon swallowed, his mind racing. If she was saying what he thought she was saying…

“I only said I had a boyfriend because I thought it would be the best way to keep him from trying to, I don’t know, win me over or something,” Sansa continued, speaking quickly. “I didn’t know who to turn to, and then you asked me this morning. I didn’t say anything because, well…”

“Because I botched up asking you,” Theon supplied, filling in her pause.

Sansa shrugged. “You probably could have said it differently, but I get it. Anyway, you don’t have to say yes. I won’t be mad if you say no. I just… really need some help, here. Bolton’s been obsessed with me for a couple of years, now, and after what happened with Joffrey…” she trailed off again, her cheeks tinted a light pink.

“Hey,” Theon said, instinctively taking her hand. “As poorly as I did it, I asked you first. I’ll do it.”

Large blue eyes met his. “Are you sure? You’d have to pretend to be my boyfriend, at least until the Yule Ball.”

Theon shrugged. “Hey, this is helping me as much as it’s helping you. I’m pretty sure I was the only seventh year who didn’t have a date yet,” he said, offering her a small grin. To his delight, she smiled back.

“Perfect,” she said. She opened her mouth to say something else, but froze. Her eyes darted sideways and Theon followed her gaze to the left. The approaching footsteps and giggles reached his ears, and suddenly Sansa’s lips were on his, her arms were around his neck, and she was pressed against him, his back against the wall behind him.

Every neuron in Theon’s brain fired and his hands flexed, unsure of what to do.

“Sans?” he heard absently, and Sansa was pulling away from him.

“Elinor… Alla…” Sansa breathed, wrapping her arms around herself. Theon pushed himself off the wall, eyeing the cousins who were watching them with wide, curious eyes.

“When did this happen?” Elinor asked, her gaze falling on Theon and taking on a more critical expression.

Sansa reached for Theon’s hand, squeezing it. “A month ago,” she lied, glancing sideways at him. “We just haven’t told anyone.”

Alla glanced between them, her eyebrows raised. “Well, he’s no Jon Snow,” she said, her tone equally as cool as her cousin’s.

“Exactly,” Sansa replied, lifting her chin and meeting Alla’s gaze. For a moment, Theon felt lost in the female power struggle, until the Tyrell girls backed down.

“Well, we’re happy for you,” Elinor said finally, and Alla nodded. Then they continued down the corridor, not looking back.

Sansa let out a breath, turning to him. “Sorry about that. I figured it was them, and they’re probably the best to spread the rumour, and--”

“It’s fine,” Theon reassured her. He could still taste her lipgloss on his lips. “So. We’ve been going steady for a month.”

“Yes,” Sansa said, rubbing her elbow. “The news will spread fast. We should probably go to breakfast together tomorrow.”

Theon nodded, his head still reeling. “Robb knows about me asking you earlier.”

“I’ll handle him,” she replied, reaching out and lacing her fingers with his. “Thank you so much for this.”

“Of course,” he said, swallowing a lump in his throat. “Anything for you.”

The worst part was, he meant it.

Morning came, and with it the realization that Theon had gone from a nobody to being the talk of the school. Even his fellow Hufflepuffs were almost in awe of him as he sat in the common room, trying to figure out how he was going to handle the next three days. After all, he had only been looking for a date, and now he had a girlfriend.

A girlfriend who just happened to be the one girl he had had a crush on for at least a year.

Finally, he rose to his feet from the comfortable, sagging sofa and joined the crowd of Hufflepuffs heading for the Great Hall for breakfast.

Theon couldn’t deny there was a spring to his step as he walked, at least until his arm was grabbed and he was dragged behind a pillar for the second time in less than 24 hours.

“Tell me the rumours aren’t true,” Yara hissed, crossing her arms in front of her.

Theon played dumb. It was typically his best defense against his sister, who, thanks to the calendar, was almost a year older than him and yet still in seventh year like him. “What do you mean?” he asked, leveling his gaze at her.

“I’m in the same bloody house as her, do you think I wouldn’t have heard about you snogging Sansa Stark?”

“Oh, that rumour,” Theon said, shrugging. “Yeah, it’s true. I know, crazy, right? I finally have a girlfriend.”

Yara rolled her eyes. “You could have at least told me,” she said, “so I could suppress the urge to vomit.”

“Have a nice day, Yara,” Theon said, pulling away from her and continuing down the hall. At the entrance to the Great Hall, he paused, drawing in a breath. A hand on his shoulder had him turning.

“Morning,” Sansa said, offering him a small smile.

“Hey,” he replied. Immediately, he could sense all eyes in the vicinity on them, and took his chance, leaning in and pecking her on the lips. When he pulled away, Sansa had a light pink tint to her cheeks, and he took her hand, leading her into the hall.

“We should probably sit at the Hufflepuff table. I’m not exactly Mr Popular, and most of the Slytherins are out to get me,” he muttered under his breath.

Sansa kept a pleasant smile on her face as she hummed in agreement. “I told Elinor and Alla that our first date just sort of happened. I was helping you with a Potions essay down by the lake and then we went on a walk and things just kind of happened from there,” she murmured in return, glancing around the room. Almost every pair of eyes were on them. Over at the Ravenclaw table, the Tyrell cousins were whispering and giggling, pointing Theon and Sansa out to anyone who would listen.

As they walked past the Gryffindor table, Robb stood up and stepped in front of Theon.

“Mate,” he said, a twinkle to his eye as he glanced sideways at Sansa, then back at Theon.

“Robb,” Theon replied, not sure what was about to happen.

“Now that I know the truth, you can expect the big brother speech soon,” his friend said, nodding at Sansa before sitting down again.

Theon let out a breath. “You worked fast last night,” he muttered to Sansa as they continued.

She let out a small chuckle. “I know what to say to people,” she said, shrugging.

Finally, they reached the Hufflepuff table and sat down together. Immediately, they were accosted by Theon’s housemates. Thankfully, Sansa handled most of the conversation and eventually they were free to head to class.

“I’ll see you around,” Sansa said, her voice cheery. Theon nodded, unsure whether or not he should kiss her again. Surrounded by expectant students, though, he chanced it and pecked her lips. They might as well act like the lovestruck newly public couple they were claiming to be.

As he was leaving the Great Hall, though, Theon noticed that not everyone was watching him with curious interest. Over at the Slytherin table, Ramsay Bolton was sitting at the end of a bench, fixing Theon with a death glare.

He really hoped Sansa had chosen different NEWT level classes than Bolton.

His first class of the day was Potions, and after Professor Qyburn admonished him for skipping class the previous day and took 20 points from Hufflepuff, Theon settled into his seat next to Robb.

“Great, now I have the whole period to give you the Talk,” Robb said loudly, much to the amusement of the class. Theon gave a mock sigh, pretending to resign himself to his fate.

“I would think that you lot would care more about your final assignment of this term than petty gossip,” Professor Qyburn said drily before waving his wand. The cabinet behind him opened, revealing five burlap sacks. “In each of these bags is a random assortment of ingredients. With your partner, your task is to identify a potion that can be made using the largest quantity of ingredients, and brew it correctly.”

Theon glanced sideways at Robb. They were both passable in Potions, given that they had been approved to take it at the NEWT level, but neither of them particularly enjoyed the subject. They both had aspirations of being Aurors, though, and a Potions NEWT was a requirement, so here they were. Robb let out a breath, his eyes fixed on the bags.

“You may begin,” Qyburn said, stepping aside. Theon immediately got up, grabbing a bag from the shelf and bringing it back to Robb.

“Sansa told me everything. Thank you for helping her with this,” Robb muttered under his breath while he began pulling ingredients out of the sack.

Theon shrugged. “Bolton’s a creep. I’d do it for anyone trying to get away from him.”

“But you like that it’s her.” It wasn’t a question. Robb glanced at him, arching an eyebrow, and Theon cursed the day he had ever told Robb about his crush on Sansa.

He didn’t answer the Gryffindor. Instead, Theon pointed to two of the ingredients. “Let’s start with those. They’re pretty universal.”

= = = = =

To say she was terrified of Ramsay was an understatement. Sansa had been glad Theon had suggested the Hufflepuff table at breakfast, if only so she could avoid her fellow Slytherin. Thankfully, Margaery knew the truth, and had promised to keep Ramsay at bay, at least for now. Sansa didn’t know what she would do without a friend like Margaery in Slytherin.

Class was a whole different story, though, and Sansa had half a mind to claim a stomach ache so she could spend the morning in the Hospital Wing being fussed over by Maester Luwin. In the end, though, she decided to put on a brave face, to channel her sister’s Gryffindor energy, and go to Transfiguration. Ramsay wouldn’t be in her Herbology class second period, so she would only have to survive an hour with him.

When she got to class, though, Jeyne met her at the door. “It’s okay, he’s not here. No one knows why,” her friend said, offering her a smile.

Sansa breathed a sigh of relief, stepping into the classroom. “Thank Merlin,” she said, following Jeyne to their table. There were no random objects on the table, so it would be a theory lesson. Sansa was somewhat an anomaly among her friends, in that she preferred learning the theory over demonstrating practical skills.

“So, Theon Greyjoy. Did you forget he threw that Niffler at me?” Jeyne whispered, preparing her quill to take notes.

“He apologised for that,” Sansa replied, her eyes up front as Professor Lannister entered the room. Jeyne didn’t have time to reply, as the professor immediately began his lecture.

The rest of her morning went smoothly, and Sansa was surprised to realize that she was looking forward to lunch. Elinor, Alla, and Megga were insufferable with their questions during Herbology, which only made Sansa think about Theon more. He had been a good choice for her decoy, she thought. He was someone with whom she had history, but it wasn’t well known history. Best of all, he was someone Robb liked, and Arya could understand. He really was the best option, and she had only considered him after he had asked her to the Yule Ball.

That was the strangest thing. He felt so right, but she never would have thought of him on her own. There was something so natural about him, though, about how they had fallen so easily into the role of girlfriend and boyfriend. Even the kisses felt natural.

Sansa shook her head, trying to focus on Elinor’s gossip as they walked to the Great Hall for lunch. Theon was nowhere to be seen, so she reluctantly went to the Slytherin table, settling down next to Margaery. There was a buzz in the hall that made it easy to have a quiet, private conversation with her friend.

“Hey there, Peanut,” the older Slytherin said, patting Sansa’s elbow before serving herself some chicken.

Sansa grinned, starting to put together a plate for herself. “Your cousins have many questions,” she commented, taking a roll and buttering it.

“Do you blame them? Sansa Stark, dating Theon Greyjoy of all people. It’s the gossip of the term,” Margaery replied, a knowing twinkle in her eye. “Now are you glad I convinced you to buy that dress robe?”

“Definitely,” Sansa agreed, sipping her pumpkin juice. “What about you? Did you decide on a date?” As much as Sansa’s relationship had been an alleged secret, it was no secret that Margaery had many suitors.

“Renly,” Margaery replied, taking a bite of chicken. “Who would give up the chance to have a Baratheon on the arm?”

Sansa giggled, then nibbled on her roll. After a moment of silence, she changed the topic. “Do you think Theon and I should be seen this evening? I was thinking perhaps a walk along the lake shore?”

Margaery hummed, then spoke, waving her fork in the air. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea. You said your first date was a walk on the shore? It would be a nice callback.”

Sansa nodded, setting her roll down and sipping more pumpkin juice. “Alright. Thanks,” she said.

“Stark.”

She turned, knowing the colour was rushing from her face at the sight of Ramsay behind her. Immediately, Margaery turned as well, putting a hand on Sansa’s shoulder.

“Get over it, Ramsay,” the older girl said, her voice low. “She has a boyfriend. Find another girl and stop bothering Sansa.”

Ramsay shot Margaery a glare, but her friend didn’t back down. After a moment of tense silence, he turned away.

“Whatever,” Ramsay muttered, stalking off to the end of the table.

Sansa breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you,” she murmured. Margaery only nodded, sitting down once more.

“The bastard interrupted my lunch,” she murmured, shaking her head.

The rest of the day passed without incident, and after dinner, Sansa was leaving the Great Hall when she saw him. Knowing she had an audience, she skipped up behind him and covered his eyes with her hands.

“Guess who?” she asked cheekily.

“I’m going to say not Yara, given the sheer excitement in your voice,” Theon replied drily, raising his hands and covering hers. He then ducked away, under her arm, and turned around.

“Hey love,” he said, beaming at her. Sansa jokingly rolled her eyes, trying to ignore how cute he looked. It hadn’t occurred to her before, but this was the first time she had seen him smile this often.

“You were supposed to guess,” she said, tilting her head to the side. She half expected a kiss, and when it didn’t come, she was confused over how disappointed she was.

“You know I’m bad at following rules,” Theon replied, slinging his arm over her shoulder.

“You’re lucky I like you, or I’d take house points from you for breaking the rules,” Sansa quipped. It was miraculous, how easy it was to act with him.

“Yeah, I should have thought the whole dating a prefect thing through,” Theon replied, starting to lead her towards the main entrance to the castle.

“You like it,” Sansa said, happy to see that he seemed to have the same idea as her, going outside. She was lucky she had her cloak and scarf with her, as there was a brisk chill to the air.

“Where do you want to go? I don’t have any more homework to finish this term, so I’m free all evening,” Theon said, taking his arm from her shoulders to wrap his own scarf around his neck.

“I was thinking a walk around the lake.” Sansa took his hand in hers, leading him down towards the water. “I still find it so weird, seeing the Durmstrang ship in there. But I know next year it’ll be weird, not seeing it.”

She was just making casual conversation, but Sansa couldn’t help but notice a strange look pass over Theon’s face.

“I still can’t believe I graduate this year,” he said quietly, glancing sideways at her.

Sansa nodded. “I feel the same way when I think about next year. I still don’t know what I want to do, though. I’ve thought about being a Healer, but it would be nice to get a job in the Ministry, too.” It suddenly occurred to her she had no idea what he wanted to do.

“Robb and I are going to apply to the Auror program,” Theon supplied, shrugging. “He’ll probably get in. I don’t think I will, though.”

She frowned. “Why not?”

“I’m not exactly a top student. My sister gets better grades than me,” he said stopping as they reached the edge of the lake.

“They look at more than grades,” Sansa said, nudging him in the side. “You’d make a good Auror.”

At that, Theon glanced at her again, another strange expression on his face. “You’d be a good Healer,” he offered. “You’re kind, and compassionate.”

Sansa let out a puff of air. Her parents wanted her to work in the Ministry, but she had always been drawn more towards Healing, and now that Theon had agreed… “And when you get injured on the job, I’ll patch you up,” she said, giggling.

“Yeah,” Theon replied, laughing. “You’d be about the one Healer I’d trust.”

He was still laughing when he said it, but Sansa couldn’t help but wonder how serious he was. She knew Theon was a bit of an outcast at Hogwarts, that Robb was one of the few people who actually hung out with him. Now she wondered how much of that was him not trusting people. It brought a whole new meaning to him agreeing to be her fake boyfriend for the Yule Ball, and Sansa nibbled on her lower lip.

“Hey,” Theon said, squeezing her hand. “Did I say something weird?”

She shook her head, forcing a smile on her face. “Of course not,” Sansa said, pulling him along the lake shore. “Come on, I want to show you my favourite spot along the shore!”

Sansa led him to where a rocky overhang extended over the lake and pulled him down, sitting with her legs dangling over the edge. He sat next to her, his arm around her shoulders. Sansa knew it was for show, since there was a small gaggle of fourth year Hufflepuffs nearby, but she couldn’t help how she instinctively tucked herself against him. It was chilly, she told herself. That was why.

“We should probably come up with some more details about the past month,” Theon said suddenly, looking sideways at her.

Sansa let out a sigh, peeking at him from under her lashes. “Of course,” she said, folding her hands in her lap and looking out over the nearly frozen lake.

= = = = =

After three days of putting on the show, Sansa noticed that the buzz was starting to die down. She was grateful for it, since it was Christmas Eve, and she was trying desperately to finish wrapping all of the gifts she had bought. All of the gifts for her parents, Rickon, and the rest of her family back home had been sent off already, but she still had to wrap presents for Robb, Jon, Arya, Bran, Margaery, Jeyne, Elinor, Megga, and Alla. And Theon. Thankfully, there had been a Hogsmeade visit yesterday, and with Robb and Margaery’s help, she had slipped away from Theon in a socially acceptable way to buy something for him from one of the little artisan carts along the cobblestone road.

Of course, that had been after Theon had acted like the perfect gentleman and offered her his scarf when she had realized she had forgotten hers as they stood at the top of the hill, looking down at the infamous Shrieking Shack. Although it had felt weird wearing Hufflepuff yellow, Sansa still hadn’t given the scarf back to him. It was just one more thing that was confusing her about the entire situation.

Now, on Christmas Eve, everyone was finalizing their dress robes for the Yule Ball and preparing for Christmas. Sansa hadn’t seen Theon yet, but Robb had planned a snowball fight later in the evening. Leave it to her brother to continue to put something like that together, she thought fondly. It had been a family tradition for years, and Robb had made sure all his siblings kept to it, even at school.

She heard the door to her dorm open and turned, smiling at Margaery. “Hey,” Sansa said, tugging a blanket from her bed over the pile of gifts.

“I wanted your opinion on something,” Margaery said, walking across to stand in front of the mirror. “Should I do my hair like this,” she gathered it into a low bun, leaving pieces out framing her face, “or like this?” The second option was a half updo.

Sansa nibbled on her lower lip, humming. “The bun looks more mature,” she said finally, nodding. “And I was planning on a half updo, anyway.”

Margaery grinned. “I knew I could count on you,” she said, giving Sansa a one-armed hug before starting to leave the room.

“You coming to the snowball fight?” Sansa asked suddenly.

Her friend glanced over her shoulder. “Wouldn’t miss it. It’s my favourite Stark tradition I’ve been roped into,” she said with a wink.

Sansa laughed, waiting until the door closed before turning back to the gifts. When she lifted the blanket and saw the thing she had bought for Theon, though, she paused and went to the mirror, using her hands to gather her hair into a half updo. Would Theon like it, she wondered? Quickly, she shook away the thought. It didn’t matter what Theon thought. After the Yule Ball, they would split amicably and return to their normal lives, and Robb could have his friend back.

When it was time and all her gifts were wrapped, Sansa bundled up in her cloak and scarf and headed up, out of the dungeons and outside to where her siblings and friends were waiting on the grounds. Theon was there already, wearing mittens in Hufflepuff colours, and he immediately walked over to her, greeting her with the “Hey love” she had almost grown used to over the past three days. Knowing there were many eyes on them, Sansa chanced a soft peck to Theon’s lips, lingering for a moment for the benefit of her friends. Then, she tugged his scarf out from under her robes and looped it around his neck before rubbing her nose against his.

“I was wondering if I’d ever get this back,” Theon murmured to her.

“I considered keeping it,” Sansa replied cheekily, acutely aware of Megga next to her.

“Alright, here’s the rules,” Robb started, instantly garnering everyone’s attention. Sansa couldn’t help but notice that Ygritte the Durmstrang girl and Talisa the Beauxbatons girl were there too, standing next to Jon and Robb respectively. “Ravenclaws and Slytherins against Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. Talisa and Ygritte can join the Slytherins and Ravenclaws. No headshots, and no magic. It’s an old-fashioned muggle snowball fight.”

Sansa glanced sideways at Theon, reluctantly pulling away to join her team as Robb continued explaining the convoluted point system he had devised when he was eight years old.

“Don’t worry,” she murmured to Talisa and Ygritte, “just throw snowballs and hope for the best.”

Robb gave the signal to start, and Sansa immediately dropped to the ground, forming snowballs as quickly as she could. Margaery began taking snowballs from her pile and throwing them.

Once she had a decent pile, Sansa stood up with a snowball in each hand, sizing up her target. Robb was too animated, and Arya was too small, but… a small grin graced her lips as she drew her arm back, lobbing the snowball and hitting Theon in the chest.

“Ten points!” she called out, laughing. Theon was too far away for her to gauge his facial expression, but there was no denying the snowball that came arcing through the air, hitting her shoulder.

“Twenty points!” Theon called back.

Oh, it was on.

Sansa forgot about the rest of the game, grabbing snowballs as Elinor kept making more and lobbing them at Theon. In return, he targeted only her. It was the most fun Sansa had ever had playing the snowball fight. She didn’t notice she was slowly getting closer and closer to him until suddenly he was right in front of her, aiming a snowball at her waist and claiming five points, and she reached for another snowball and, finding none, instinctively tackled him, sending them both toppling to the snow-covered ground. She laughed, grabbing a mittenful of snow and pressing it against his shoulder.

“Twenty!”

His response was to flip over, pinning her to the ground and hovering over her with a snowball in his hand. Sansa reached for more snow, hitting him on the hip and claiming another ten points before he returned the favour, pressing the snowball against her shoulder. The entire time, she was giggling, and he was laughing, a deep, throaty laugh she had never heard from him.

Then she realized something. There were no snowballs flying through the air. The game had stopped. Sansa sat up quickly, moving off of Theon, and glanced back at Margaery.

“Wait, who won?” she asked.

Margaery was laughing, and opposite her, Robb had his arms across his chest.

“I’d say you did. I stopped counting at 250 points,” Robb said, arching an eyebrow. “Theon was at 205.”

Sansa immediately blushed, avoiding Theon’s gaze and turning away. Margaery stepped forward, a wide grin on her face. “What do you say we all go see if the house elves will make us cocoa?” she asked, beginning to usher everyone inside. Sansa lingered, and, to her surprise, so did Theon.

“You have quite the arm,” Theon commented, slinging his arm over her shoulder.

“No one’s around,” Sansa said instinctively, stepping away. “You don’t have to--”

“I see,” Theon cut her off, letting his arm fall. “It’ll look weird if we don’t spend some time together, though, even alone.”

Sansa bit her lip, nodding. “Right,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t know what came over me back there.”

Theon shrugged. “It was a fun game. But… you know, it is a bit cold, and I think hot cocoa sounds real nice. I’m going to go down. You coming too?”

Was she? Sansa glanced sideways, away from him. Why were things suddenly so awkward?

“Yeah, I guess,” she finally replied, following him into the castle and down to the kitchen where Margaery had sweet-talked the elves into giving them not only hot cocoa but freshly baked pastries as well.

At the end of the evening, when Sansa headed down to the dungeons and Theon went to the Hufflepuff common room, she couldn’t help but notice he didn’t say goodnight to her.

= = = = =

When Theon woke up on Christmas morning, the first thing he noticed was a small box by his bedside. He sat up and stretched, then picked up the box. The tag read “To a Royal Idiot, Love Yara”. He rolled his eyes and smiled fondly, opening the box and pulling out a journal with his family’s crest embossed on the front. It wasn’t much, but knowing his sister, it meant a lot. Despite everything, he knew he could always count on her. He sat back, thinking about Yara opening her box to find a sneakoscope. It had taken most of his savings, but she was worth it. After another stretch, he got up and pulled on jeans and a t-shirt. The Yule Ball wasn’t until the evening, and he usually spent Christmas Day with his sister, so he slipped out of the common room, ignoring his housemates, and made his way down towards the Slytherin common room entrance.

Sansa was leaving the common room as he approached, and Theon was instantly on edge. After her strange behaviour after the snowball fight, he wasn’t sure what to expect.

“Happy Christmas,” he said, offering her a polite smile. No one else left the common room behind her, so he figured she wouldn’t want anything more.

“Oh, Theon… Happy Christmas,” Sansa replied, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. She was carrying a bulging sack, and Theon was instantly curious. “I’m going to do a gift exchange with my family and friends,” Sansa explained, noticing his stare. Theon dragged his eyes back up to her, arching an eyebrow.

“Should I come with you?” he asked. “Or is that not part of the fake relationship bundle?”

Sansa flinched and he immediately regretted his sharp tongue.

“You can come if you’d like,” she said, tucking her arms around herself. “Margaery’s going to come down in a bit. Yara can come too, if you’d like?”

Theon blinked. Oh, right. Yara. Yara, who was just now stepping out of the common room now, behind Sansa. He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around his fake girlfriend and pulling her closer to him.

“Happy Christmas, Idiot,” Yara drawled.

“Right back atcha,” Theon replied. “Wanna come with us? The Starks do this big gift exchange.”

Sansa glanced back at Yara, offering a polite smile. “You’re more than welcome. We’d love to have you.”

“Sure,” Yara said, shrugging a shoulder. “Not like I have anything better to do. Thanks, by the way.” She held up the sneakoscope, grinning at Theon.

“Welcome,” Theon replied, taking Sansa’s hand and walking with her down the hall. It was different from how they had walked even two days ago, though. Sansa was putting on the act for Yara, but he could tell she didn’t want to stand as close to him.

It turned out everyone was meeting in an empty classroom, and almost everyone was there.

“Happy Christmas!” Robb exclaimed, shaking hands with Theon and Yara and hugging Sansa tightly. Once Bran slipped in the room, still sleepy, the gift exchange began.

As the gifts were given out, Theon shifted from side to side. From the looks of it, Yara was just as uncomfortable as he was. While their family wasn’t a poor family by any means, they weren’t rich, either. The Starks, though, were an old money family, and the gifts that were being exchanged were a lot more valuable than a sneakoscope or a journal.

It seemed like things were winding down, and then Margaery swept into the room followed by her cousins and Jeyne Poole. Another round of gift exchanges later, and Theon was starting to feel like he was in some sort of twilight zone where everyone was rich and could afford to give expensive jewelry and other high ticket items as Christmas gifts.

“Wait,” Yara muttered to him, “I didn’t realize Margaery was so close to Sansa’s sister.”

Theon watched as Arya fawned over her gift from Margaery. “I don’t think they are. They just… give each other gifts.”

“Maybe next year that will be us,” Yara commented, shrugging a shoulder. “Unless you and Sansa break up or something.”

Theon managed to keep a straight face as the final gifts were exchanged.

“I’m sorry, Theon, but if we had known about you and Sans earlier, we could have included you in the exchange,” Margaery said, winking at him. Theon shrugged, glancing at Yara who was watching Margaery with an unreadable expression.

“I’ve got something for you back in my dorm,” Robb commented, and Theon let out a breath.

“You really didn’t need to,” he said, but from the look on his friend’s face, there was no getting out of it.

In the commotion, he ended up next to Sansa once more, and she glanced over at him. “I have something for you here,” she said softly. Somehow, though, everyone in the room heard and fell silent, watching them expectantly.

Theon was mortified. He didn’t have anything for Sansa. Nothing at all. She looked at him with her doe eyes, though, holding out a small box, and he automatically took it from her. With all eyes on him, he opened the box and pulled out a small ornament in the shape of an anchor.

“It reminded me of your home,” Sansa explained, almost shyly. Theon was stunned, staring down at the anchor. Never in the past three days could he remember telling her about his home, back in the town of Pike. Over Sansa’s shoulder, Robb was mouthing something to him, then miming a kiss.

Right. Relationship.

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers. “Thank you so much,” he murmured, lingering next to her and gazing into ocean blue eyes.

Sansa backed away, her hands on his elbows, offering a small smile.

“I, uh. I left your gift back in my dorm,” he said, trying not to meet Robb or Margaery’s eyes. Sansa nodded, glancing over her shoulder. “I’ll see everyone later,” she said, giving a small wave before following Theon out of the room.

He led her down the corridor and once he was confident no one was around, he turned to face her.

“I don’t have anything for you,” Theon admitted, wringing his hands together. “I don’t exactly—“

“It’s okay!” Sansa exclaimed, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re doing me a huge favour here, that’s as good as any gift. I’ll make something up. I think I have a necklace the girls haven’t seen, so I’ll wear that tonight.”

Theon nodded stiffly. “Right, okay.” Maybe that was what was bothering him. The fact that she kept insinuating that this was just a favour, that it was something they were doing as friends, so that she could maintain her social status and he could enjoy being in the spotlight for a couple of days.

“Unless… you’re still okay to do this, right?” Sansa asked, peering at him. “It’s only one more night, and then it’s ov—“

He snapped. “Damnit, Sansa, this isn’t just a favour for me!” Theon exploded, pulling away from her. “I asked you first. I wanted to go to the ball with you. I’ve liked you for over a year, now! But you keep talking about how this is temporary!”

Sansa’s face was stone, completely unreadable. “I didn’t know,” she said, finally. “I’m sorry.”

Theon shrugged. “I know you’re only doing this because it was convenient for you, though, so like you said, it’s one more night. Then we both go back to our normal, everyday lives.” He turned away, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to screw it up.”

“You didn’t.” Her voice was small, thin. “The past couple of days have been really nice. I know I haven’t really been the most appreciative, but I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me this.”

When Theon looked back at her, Sansa’s lips were wobbling. He didn’t have time to say anything, though, as he heard footsteps coming towards them. Without thinking, he pulled Sansa towards him, kissing her deeply. It wasn’t like the pecks they had grown used to over the past couple of days. It wasn’t even like the first kiss. This was deeper, more urgent. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, it felt like it meant something. Absently, he registered the footsteps stopping, then retreating.

He pulled back, glancing away from her. “I’ll see you later?” He asked, swallowing a lump in his throat.

“Yeah,” Sansa replied. He couldn’t help but notice she sounded a little breathless.

= = = = =

Her lips were still tingling from the kiss as she raced towards the dungeons. When Sansa reached the Slytherin common room, all she wanted to do was go to her dorm and lie on her bed for an hour. Instead, she found Yara waiting for her just inside.

“So, my brother’s a bit of an idiot,” the older girl started, shrugging. “So naturally, when I found out about the two of you, I thought he was making a mistake.”

Sansa bit her lip. “Oh,” she managed to say, kicking at the floor.

“And then I saw the way he looked at you this morning, after he opened your gift.” Yara let out a breath. “He hasn’t looked at anyone like that, not ever. And he’s been stupidly happy the past couple of days.”

Sansa remained silent. If Yara only knew what was really going on. How she had completely screwed up and played Theon for a fool. How she had treated the entire thing like a business exchange while he had genuinely liked her.

“Just wanted you to know,” Yara finished, shrugging a shoulder. “Looking forward to seeing his stupid face when he sees you all dolled up for the ball.” With that, she swept past Sansa, leaving the common room.

Sansa remained where she was, stunned. It was the longest conversation she had ever had with Yara in her six years at Hogwarts, and it was all based on a lie. She felt sick all of a sudden and moved slowly to the sofa, sinking down on it and letting the tears she had been holding back all morning fall. The common room door opened behind her and she ignored it until Margaery was sitting next to her.

“You okay, Peanut?” She asked, slinging her arm over Sansa’s shoulders.

“I don’t know if I can do this tonight,” Sansa breathed, turning her head into Margaery’s shoulder.

“You can do it,” her friend insisted, squeezing her shoulder. “It’s just one more night.”

“He has feelings for me,” Sansa blurted out, lifting her head and looking away from Margaery.

“And by the sound of it, you have feelings for him too. Otherwise you wouldn’t have gotten him that gift. And you wouldn’t be so upset now.” Margaery pressed a kiss to Sansa’s temple. “It’s okay to feel the way you do. After tonight, you two can, and should talk about things. But for now, you need to have a shower and then help me choose which robes I’m going to wear tonight because I still haven’t figured that part out.”

She had to admit, Margaery was extremely good at talking her out of moments like this. Sansa sighed, blinking the last tears from her eyes. “Okay,” she murmured, rising to her feet. “Thank you.”

“No thanks needed,” her friend replied, grinning.

Sansa spent the rest of the morning with Margaery, then went outside to spend some time with her siblings. Eventually, it was time to get ready for the ball.

Sansa returned to her dorm and slipped into the dress her friend had helped her pick out. It had a lacy bodice and a deep V neckline, and the lace had hidden fish and wolves throughout, a nod to both sides of her family. The skirt was long and flowing with multiple layers, and was a light sky blue in colour. All in all, it was the type of dress that made her feel like a princess. Next, Margaery came into the room and, with the help of a simple charm, styled her hair in loose curls and twisted pieces from the front back, securing them behind her head in the half updo Sansa had wanted since the very moment she had first heard about the Yule Ball. Finally, she did her makeup and slipped on strappy heels and a pair of satin gloves that matched her dress, and she was ready for the ball. After a moment, she remembered to look through her jewelry box for a necklace she hadn’t worn before and settled for a small seashell on a simple silver chain. Margaery was next, in a green gown with a more risqué shape to it, and her hair in a bun at the nape of her neck.

When they made their way back to the common room, Yara was sitting on the sofa in a grey satin gown with a halter neck and a shawl. She rose to her feet, arching an eyebrow.

“I heard you were going with Renly Baratheon tonight,” she said, nodding at Margaery.

Sansa glanced at her friend, who nodded.

Yara scoffed. “You know he’s gay, right?”

“Of course I do,” Margaery replied simply, shrugging. “He’s dating my brother.”

Sansa hadn’t known that. She arched an eyebrow, watching Yara. The Greyjoy girl had a strange expression on her face, leveling her gaze at Margaery.

“Well, I’m actually going with your brother. It’ll be boring when they slip away,” Yara said.

“Indeed,” Margaery replied, her eyes fixed on Yara. “We’ll be spending a lot of time together tonight.”

It was almost as if Sansa wasn’t even there. The three of them left the common room and made their way down to the Great Hall, Sansa feeling almost left out as the two older girls chatted idly. She didn’t know where that had come from. In her experience, Yara and Margaery had barely interacted, despite being both yearmates and housemates. They had always been polar opposites, the highborn, sophisticated Margaery and the crass, stubborn Yara. Where did she and Theon fall, Sansa wondered. Were they really opposites? It had been so easy for them to fall into the roles, and like it or not, she had felt extremely comfortable around him lately.

They reached the Great Hall and Renly and Loras were waiting, dressed in complimentary dress robes. Margaery squeezed Sansa’s hand before going to Renly, and Yara went to stand beside Loras.

“We’ll see you in there,” Margaery promised before the four upperclassmen entered the hall.

And now, Sansa waited. Jon was nowhere to be seen, although she knew the champions would have their own, separate grand entrance. Arya arrived then, in a black dress that Sansa had picked out for her, one that she thought matched her personality quite well.

“You look good,” Sansa said, patting Arya’s elbow.

“You look better,” her sister replied, dragging her eyes up and down. “Theon’s gonna like what he sees.”

Sansa blushed, shaking her head. “I’m glad you decided to come tonight.”

Arya shrugged. “Gendry asked me. As friends, of course.”

Sansa hummed. “Right, friends.” As if on cue, Gendry stepped up beside them, grinning at Arya. Sansa had to stifle a giggle as her sister greeted the boy.

Eventually, she spotted Robb through the crowd in the Entrance Hall and waved.

Then she saw him.

Theon was beside Robb, in robes she recognized as the ones Robb had worn at a charity gala the year before. His curly hair was tamed, and he was staring at her with wide eyes and lips parted. At a nudge from her brother, Theon moved towards her, and Sansa greeted him with a kiss on the cheek while Robb greeted Arya and Gendry.

“Hi,” she murmured, mindful of the audience around them as she took his hands in hers. “You look amazing.” No one needed to know he was wearing Robb’s old robes. Then, she lifted a hand and touched the necklace. “I’m wearing it.”

Theon hadn’t stopped smiling from the moment he reached her, and his eyes dropped to the necklace for a moment before meeting her eyes again. “You are so beautiful,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

Sansa couldn’t help but melt. Although it didn’t have the same intensity as the kiss from the morning, it carried a certain tenderness, and she remembered what Yara had said. He was happy. Sansa flushed, turning to her brother and giving him a hug.

“My little sister, all grown up,” Robb said, patting her on the top of her head, although he was careful not to mess up her hair. Talisa appeared then, in a red gown, and Robb turned to greet his date.

Sansa went back to Theon’s side, taking his hand. Together with Robb and Talisa, they entered the Great Hall. The committee had done wonders with the decorations, with icy chandeliers and fully decorated trees and ice sculptures everywhere. The entire hall felt like a winter wonderland straight out of one of Sansa’s dreams, and as she gazed around, her lips parted in a small ‘o’ shape, she caught Theon’s eye. He wasn’t looking at the decorations, though. He was looking at her. Sansa filed that information for later, though, and they found Margaery, Yara, Renly, and Loras at a table.

Once everyone was inside, it was time for the champions to make their entrance. First came Mance Raydar, the Durmstrang champion, with his date, a Durmstrang girl named Val. Daenerys Targaryen of Beauxbatons was next with, much to Sansa’s surprise, Dickon Tarly, who looked about as confused as everyone else from Hogwarts that he was there with the half-veela. Finally, Robb led a chorus of cheers that Sansa eagerly joined as Jon entered the hall with Ygritte at his side.

The champions began the first dance, and Robb and Talisa quickly joined, followed by the others until Theon and Sansa were alone at the table. Theon coughed, then rose to his feet.

“Would you like to dance?” He asked, extending his hand to her. Sansa smiled, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her out onto the floor.

Thank Merlin for the dance lessons, she thought, as they fell into the steps. Thankfully, the waltz wasn’t too hard, at least until they drew closer to the lifts. Theon was a good partner, though, supporting her and lifting her gracefully. By the end of the song, she had what felt like a permanent smile etched on her face.

“Look who didn’t step on my feet at all,” she teased as they left the dance floor. Over in a corner, she saw Margaery’s cousins all lurking, in matching floral gowns. It didn’t look like they had found dates at all, and she felt a stab of pity for them.

“Oh, come on,” Theon said, chuckling. “We both know if anyone was going to step on feet, it would have been you.” He nudged her in the side and Sansa giggled. When they reached the table, she sat down next to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry about this morning,” she said softly.

Theon shook his head. “Let’s not talk about that right now. Tonight is supposed to be fun.”

Sansa nodded slowly, taking his hand and interlacing her fingers with his.

“Yara gave me the Big Sister Talk,” she commented offhand.

Theon turned to her. “Really?”

“Really,” Sansa replied. “She really cares about you being happy.”

After a moment, Theon shrugged. “I’m happy tonight. I have a beautiful date, no matter how we ended up here, and that first dance was fun.”

Sansa blushed at his words. Theon had a way of making her feel special, no matter what, and she couldn’t help but like it.

When the second song ended, she pulled him up for another dance. That turned into another dance, and soon they were both breathless and parched. Theon led her to the refreshments table and poured her a glass of pumpkin juice. She took it and sipped, letting out a small, content sigh.

“I love pumpkin juice,” she said softly.

“I know,” Theon replied, clinking his glass against hers and taking a sip.

She didn’t have time to process that, as a shadow fell across them. She turned, arching an eyebrow at Ramsay Bolton, who had Tansy on his arm.

“You’re missing out, Stark,” he drawled, glancing at Theon, then back at her.

“I don’t believe I am,” Sansa replied, taking the most calculated risk of her life and turning to kiss Theon right in front of Ramsay.

It was no small wonder most of her family were Gryffindors. She had it in her somewhere.

Ramsay quickly disappeared, and she tugged Theon off in the opposite direction. “Let’s go find the others.”

When they reached the table, no one was sitting there. A quick scan of the room told Sansa that all three couples were out on the dance floor still,and she finished her juice, dragging Theon back out.

After a while, the classical music faded and the Weird Sisters took the stage. Sansa was having the time of her life, dancing with Theon.

“Hey,” Theon said as he twirled her under his arm, “look over there.”

She followed his gaze to where Margaery and Yara were dancing together, and Renly and Loras were nowhere in sight.

“I thought there was something between them earlier,” Sansa said, shrugging. “As long as they’re happy.”

“And you? You’re happy?” Theon sounded almost hopeful, and Sansa paused in her dancing, meeting his gaze.

“Of course I am,” she replied, pecking him on the lips.

Soon, though, Sansa grew tired and Theon walked with her off the dance floor. Margaery and Yara were at the table, deep in conversation, so they changed direction and went out into the Entrance Hall where there were less people. Theon led her down a corridor, ducking behind a pillar. Sansa had to chuckle at that. It seemed pillars were becoming their thing.

Theon grinned at her. “I know you found that necklace, and it’s real nice and all, but I wanted to give you a proper Christmas present, so I found this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, holding it out to her.

Sansa’s lips parted and she shook her head. “Theon, I couldn’t,” she said.

“Please, accept it,” Theon replied, holding out the box. It wasn’t worth arguing, so Sansa took it and opened it. Inside was a silver bracelet with three charms hanging off of it - an anchor, a ship’s wheel, and a fish.

“It was supposed to be Yara’s birthday gift, but I got her something else instead, and when I saw it this afternoon, I thought it would look nice on—“

Sansa didn’t let him finish his sentence. She launched herself forward, pressing her lips to his. This kiss had a fire to it, and she pressed against him, her lips parting slightly.

He didn’t take the invitation. Instead, Theon pulled away, squinting at her.

“No one’s around, Sans,” he said, shaking his head. “You don’t have to—“

“I know,” Sansa interrupted, shrugging, “but I wanted to.”

He stared at her, his lips parted. “Sansa…”

“No one, besides my own family, has ever treated me the way you do,” she said. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.”

Theon shook his head. “You’re not just saying that..?”

“No,” Sansa said, “I’m not. I’m sorry I was insensitive. I… just wasn’t used to anyone treating me like that, and I guess I… let it get to my head. I  _ like  _ you, Theon. A lot.”

He was quiet for a while, then a crooked grin stretched across his face. “So, if I were to say I wanted to take you on a real date on the next Hogsmeade trip…”

Sansa nodded, smiling fondly at him as she slipped the bracelet on her wrist. “I’d say I’m looking forward to it.”

Theon beamed, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. “You really are amazing, Sansa Stark.”

Sansa blushed against his shoulder, shaking her head. “You’re talking about yourself,” she replied, lifting her head and smiling at him.

She would have been content to remain behind the pillar with him, but knew that Robb would be looking for her. When she voiced the concern to Theon he agreed and they returned to the Great Hall. By the end of the night, she still hadn’t seen Robb anywhere, though Jon told her he had seen Robb slip out with Talisa at some point. Sansa didn’t mind, though. Her brother deserved to be happy just as much as she did.

At the end of the night, Theon walked with her to the Slytherin common room entrance, where they found Margaery and Yara snogging.

“Well, that’s…” Theon started, and Sansa squeezed his hand. She coughed, and the two older girls parted.

“Oh, hey there,” Margaery said, smirking. “Don’t suppose you remember the password, Peanut?”

Sansa sighed, turning to Theon and kissing him one last time before he took off to his own common room. Then she gave the password, slipping in ahead of the older girls.

= = = = =

Morning arrived and Theon woke feeling like a breath of fresh air. While he walked to brunch, he found Robb and Sansa walking together. Sansa beamed upon seeing him and practically waltzed over, pressing her lips to his.

“Um, not for nothing, but… the Yule Ball’s over, and it’s not like anyone’s around right now,” Robb said.

Theon exchanged a look with Sansa, and in almost perfect unison they said, “We know.”

Then, Theon pulled Sansa to him, kissing her once again. She was wearing her favourite lipgloss, he noticed, and as he ran his fingers down her arms, he noticed she was wearing the bracelet. He let his fingers brush against the anchor charm, imagining its counterpart on his nightstand back in his dorm.

Robb said something, but Theon only had eyes for Sansa. Her hair was still in loose curls, and she was almost glowing with radiant energy.

“Ready?” He asked, taking her hand.

Sansa smiled, squeezing his fingers. “Always.”

Theon took a step and Sansa followed him, never taking her eyes off of him for a second.

Never in a million years had he expected this when he had flubbed asking her to be his date to the Yule Ball.

**Author's Note:**

> Photo Inspiration for the Yule Ball Dresses:
> 
> [Sansa's Dress](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0091/1812/2047/products/S5713_grande.jpg?v=1571710863)  
> [Margaery's Dress](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0035/0257/1618/products/ae710_1200x1200.jpg?v=1571709812)  
> [Yara's Dress](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/67/97/92/679792653cb54a02f373625a5d435c55.jpg)  
> [Arya's Dress](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0310/5705/1693/products/IMG_0089_513f69f6-0fc0-4658-a52b-c1ae26fdea2e_1200x1200.jpg?v=1597822692)


End file.
